At about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Maui police officers responded to a suspicious vehicle call at a residence on East Waiko Road in Waikapu.

Upon arrival, two officers found a man, later identified as 29-year-old Joshua Apo of Wailuku, asleep behind the wheel of a silver Nissan sedan parked in front of the residence.

Officers approached the vehicle and woke Apo, who looked at them, reversed his vehicle into a marked police vehicle that was parked behind him, and sped away on East Waiko Road. The police vehicle was unoccupied at the time, but Apo nearly ran over the officers who were standing next to his vehicle and had to jump out of the way.

Apo turned onto Honoapiilani Highway, driving at a high rate of speed. As officers chased after him, they saw him turn onto Kuihelani Highway and enter the opposing southbound lanes. Officers continue to follow him from the northbound lanes of the highway.

Apo continued to travel north at a high rate of speed within the southbound lanes when he collided head-on into a black Scion that was traveling south on the highway. A blue Hyundai that was also traveling in the southbound lanes collided into the Scion.

Apo and the lone female operator of the Scion, 33-year-old Melissa Egbert of Lahaina, were transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center emergency room where they later died from their injuries.

The two occupants of the Hyundai — tourists from Washington — were also transported to the emergency room and treated for minor injuries.

The accident caused a road closure between Puunene Avenue and Honoapiilani Highway for about four hours while police conducted their investigation.

No officers were injured. An Attempted Murder in the First Degree investigation has been initiated. The investigation is in its early stages and on-going.

The crash represents the 17th and 18th traffic deaths this year compared to 19 at this time last year.